Musical instrument and lighting system therefor



Much 11 1924.

E. H. JEFFERSON ET A1. I MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AND LGHTING SYSTEM THEREFOR Original Filed Dec. 16, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1H Y l Qwfwow Enga/771112Z@ ffifwf? March. 11 1924. 1,486,585

l a. H. JEFFERscN ET A1. l

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AND LIGHTING SYSTEM THEREFOR original Filevd Dec. 16. `1918 v:e sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. ll, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN H. JEFFERSON AND ROBERT H. WAUD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOBS,

BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T LYON @c HEALY, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AND LIGHTING SYSTEM THEREFOR.

Beledfor application Serial No. 266,858, led December 16, 1918. Thisr application led March 23, 1921, Serial No. 454,748.

To all whom t may concer/n:

Be itknown that we, BENJAMIN H. Jar- FERSON and ROBERT H. WAUD, citizens of the United States, residin at Chicago, in

I the county of Cook and tatefof Illinois,

have invented a certain new and useful Imrovement in Musical Instruments and ighting Systems Therefor, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to musical instruments and lighting systems therefor, and

particularly to pianos and illuminating means associated therewith.

This application is refiled for application Serial No. 266,858 filed December 16, 1918.

The primary aim of the present invention is to provide an improved system of lighting a. piano and the room or place containing it, and more particularly to afford a more eiicient directing of light for 5 illuminating the music rack and keyboard thereof. In keeping with this we provide a novel and improved arrangement of circuits and disposition of lamps and flexible conductors therefor, so that the music rack and keyboard may be illuminated from both sides.

'Further aims of our invention are: first, to arrange for the effective use of the lighting system with the piano either open or closed, in which latter case the system will be useful in beautifully and artistically lighting the room or place containing the piano; second, to permit the easy and quick opening and closing of the piano without interfering with or interference by the lighting system; third, to permit the ready connection and disconnection of the piano lighting system with the wiring s stem of rooms, hallways and the like; fourt ,to permit this connection at the most convenient point in the piano; and fifth, to afford means for connecting other lighting devices, such as a Hoor or table lamp, with the piano.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a grand piano provided with a lighting system embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2 2 in Fig. 1, but on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, also on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, we showfa grand piano A, provided with a lighting system embodying our invention. It will be understood, of course, that in its general features our improved lighting system may be applied to other types or styles of pianos.

In the arrangement shown for carrying out the invention We provide two lamps l and 2 which are adapted to be used at the opposite ends of the piano keyboard. As shown in the drawings they are placed upon the hinged portion 3 of the cover 4. rThis cover 4: is the usual cover or lid of a grand piano and is hinged at its edge 5 so that its opposite edge 6 may be lifted and the cover as a whole swung back into a tilted position to permit the sound to better escape fromthe piano. In the drawings this cover or lid 4 is shown in a closed position and the hinged end 3 also in a closed position and the lamps 1 and 2 resting upon the latter.

`WVhen the piano is to be opened the lamps 1 and 2 are lifted from the member 3 and moved back toward the rear of the piano. They are rested upon the piano top or cover 1l, well to the rear, and then the member 3 is swung upwardly, backwardly and downwardly so as to rest on cover 4l and open the iano. Then the lamps 1 and 2 are placed on the shelf 7 at opposite ends of the keyboard. Thus the keyboard is well lighted, by lights at each end, as is also the music on the music rack. This lighting effect is not interfered with by the body, head or hands of the player.

The lamps l and 2 may be of any one of a large variety of constructions. We show a ve'ry artistic type of lamp having a small base 8 preferably made of wood and an incandescent lamp surrounded by a shade 9.

The lamps l and 2 are supplied with insulated wire cords or connections 10 and 11, respectively. The cord 10 is extended to a plug l2 and the cord 11 to a plug 13. The plugs 12 and 13 fit into sockets 11i and 15,

ospectively. The cords or flexible conductors l end il are of sullicient length and ere connected et such points es to permit movement of the lamps to the side and reci suiliciently to allow section 3 to clear them when seid section is swung hut-l; to open the pieno. The cords orconnectors i0 and ll also permit in vement ol the lumps bool: onto section 8, when saine is closed, Lfind from piece to place on top of seme to e limited extent to secure room lighting eliects.

TWhen section 3 is closed spaces ll/ ll are sorded between the underside ot seid section and the top margins of the side porv is, permitting conductors tions 'ig-12', o5; means of rubber tips secured to the section 3, thus passage and movement oi the lO sind ll.

The sockets end l5 are preferably mounted on the inner face of the pieno cusing 16. From the socket l-l conductors li' and 1S extend to another socket i9 which is convenienth7 mounted on e cross cenni 20 of the pieno trame. From the sockets 19 other conductors 2l und 22 entend to still another socket 23 which is convenientlyY mounted on another cross herrin 24. This lest nientioned soc tet 23 is connecten with still unother socket 25 by means of conductors Q6 und E27, seid socket 25 also preferably being mounted on the benin 2li. This lest inen tioned socket 25 is connected with the soc-liet 15 by conductors 28 und 29.

Thus it Will be seen that the lumps l und 2 are connected with the adjacent sockets nl und l5. lt will also he seen that these sockets l und l5 are connected with i Wiring system comprising three other sockets 19, 23 und 25, that connections of verious kinds muy he mudo with any one r more 0;@ these three lust mentionet socltets, For eruinple, We show e connection hy mein feed conductors und 3l with the soclet :23. This connection is intended to indicute en outside connectie with e source oielectrical energy, such 'fo exemple, es un ordinary house or hall lighting ystcm, Wherehi7 the pieno lighting system will he supplied 'with electrical ergf for lighting the lumps l und li more convenient or desirable the outside connection muy l e nie-,dc with either the sockets l5) or 25, instead of with .the socket issuinin however, that the outside connect on is inode with the socle shown, f clic-ts 'i9 :ind 25 muy either both of them inni he with so 'ie outside lighting device ry electrical energyY to the ple, We show u connection luc-tors und 33 extended Yfrom the socket 19. These conductors 32 and 33 muy run to seperate lump, es for example, o licor or table pieno lamp which thus may he convenientlj.T supplied from a i .4 La:

connection with the pieno lighting system, Thus thc lighting system rovides not only u practical und Very udi'sntngeous arrange ment for lighting the pieno, its keyboard end music, turthcrmore, the system is highlyv ilexiole, permitting various ltinds of connections to he inode to suppll,T it with electrical energy und also permitting outside connections to be mede so es to energize other adjacent lighting cr electricsldevices it wished. F or instance, connections can be mede for c vucuum cleaner or electrically operuted Victrole or reproducing piano or other device.

l'Ve desire to purticuierlj," ein`husize the arrangement ci the flexible con uctors und lamps, wh the letter muy be moved troni place to place on the piano, und Wheren h3: the cords do not interfere with the facile movement of the cover section 3.

It Will ulso noted that the lamps are not disconnected no;x their circuits or connections in my my interfered with when the piano cover is closed down, and that l he fully edective in lighttherefore theyv will ing t e room or platee containing the pieno, therebyv utilizing the pieno lighting system for roozn lighting well as piano lighting in piece of other unil or door lamps.

It will be understood that changes und inodiiicutions muy he mede Without departing troni the spirit of the invention.

lhst We claim is:

l. rilhe comhinution With zi musical instrument comprising e sound box mounted on suitable supports, :ind having u cover provided *ith u "front hinged section, e sliding siclt under seid hinged section, seid sectioii ind the top portions of the side Wells bein Duced to provide openings, of u mein feed circuit het". g two hrunches terminating iidjscent the i,.- ier 'oru'urd ends of scid side Wells, sepu tihle connectors forming the terminels or' seid hrunches, end mounted on the inner feces of' seid side Walls, lighting devices on seid hinged front section und flexihle conductors p: A.ng through siid opento connect ,id lighting devices and separable flex is connectors when the seotion is closed, sui i ductors being of suflicient length to permit removal of the lighting devices from the instrument Withoutv disconnection to permit seid section to be raised.

2. rllhe combination with u musical instrument including u lood;Y herring sido Wells, o. iront shell on scid side Walls, u hinged cover on seid hotly provided Wit-h u hinged 'a 't section coerced to close over said shelf, ci niet ns for maintaining seid front section in spaced relation to the upper margins of seid side mills when closed, portable lighting devices adopted to stand on said front section und on scid shelf when the front section is open, detachable conductors entering said body, e. separable connector therein,

branches extending from said connector and through said spaces between the cover secpermanently arranged in said body, said tion and said side Walls. 10 conductors terminating inside the body In Witness whereof, We hereunto sub1 under said front cover section, separable scribe our names this 18th day of March,

5 connectors forming the terminals of said A.. D. 1921.

branch conductors, and flexible conductors connecting said lighting devices and said BENJAMIN H. JEFFERSON. terminal connectors and adapted to extend ROBERT H. WAUD. 

